Ginny left her laughing friends that evening, returning to her shared dorm earlier than the other girls, as was her custom. She liked to have a little time to herself to plan out her next day, get out her robes, and set things right. She was almost as retentive as Hermione was about it sometimes.

She shifted through her bag, emptying out the day's books to replace them with the texts for Transfiguration and Charms that she'd need for the next morning. That's when she noticed the note that fell out of her bag and lay on her burgundy velvet coverlet, staring at her.

Ginny reached down and took the note in her fingers, feeling the rich parchment before opening it:

Ginny,

I know what they say about me. I know I'm not the man you're looking for, but I just might be the man you need to find. Please, don't let them make up your mind, because if they get their chance they'll end it for sure.

-DM

'DM…?' It took a moment before she realized whose initials they were. 'Does he know that I think about him?' She felt the parchment again and slid it under her pillow. She needed time to think, time to mull things over. A good night's sleep helped with that. Ginny blew out her candle and pulled the hangings on her four-poster shut, thinking.

'Draco, I don't think you realize the dangerous game you're playing. We're not allowed to have one another…' She rolled over, her mind swimming with thoughts. Was he serious? Was it just something to get a laugh with his Slytherin buddies? Why would he want her of all people? She was a Weasley!

It could be perfect, though. He was refined, elegant, and rich. He was the kind of guy that every other girl wanted. He was more, though. Draco wasn't the Slytherin Prince that he acted; she'd seen him the other night in the Library, up until four in the morning writing an essay for Professor Snape. Snape would've let him skate by with nothing less than an Acceptable. Draco had pride and he worked for grades he could just take. She'd only once ever seen him truly flaunting his money in front of the school and it was when he became Slytherin Seeker, although she had suspicions that it was more his father's move than what he'd really wanted.

Two O'clock rolled around. Ginny had listened to the other girls come to bed, one at a time. They never disturbed her. She couldn't get Malfoy off her mind. Her hand kept sliding under her pillow, fingering the parchment there.

'Why am I here? I'm alone and you're not with me, Draco. Do I really want you to be? Is that what I want?' She rolled over and closed her eyes, hoping for sleep to finally overtake her.

It was a sleep, however, full of dreams. Dreams of Draco. She dreamt him into her dorm, sitting on the foot of her bed, laughing with her, studying, kissing. He was so sweet when they were alone. Could dreams say anything about real life?

She woke up at five, suddenly completely conscience without the time it usually took to swim through the layers of sleep that invariably settled themselves on her eyelids. She looked at the pillow in her arms and realized that she'd been holding it all night, thinking about him.

Ginny dressed and left her dorm, heading to the olwery to send a note before breakfast, hoping he wouldn't get it in the middle of the meal.

Draco,

Do dreams come true? If they really do, I'll have you.

I woke up in love this morning.

GW